This was a first time with collards for some of the Minnesota competitors in the Student Culinology Compeition held at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, NC, this week. The competition was part of the Research Chefs Association conference, and a student team from Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minn., was among the six schools competing.

UPDATE: The Minnesota team won first place and $5,000 for its "Chick' n Waffles" dish. The team was led by Michael Cheng.

Culinology is a term from the Research Chefs themselves, which references their blend of culinary arts with food science. They are the ones who figure out how to keep processed foods stable and prepared food tasty for restaurant chains.

At the student competition, the teams had to prepare North Carolina fare. The Southwest students chose those collard greens and served them atop a Carolina corn cake. Pictured above is Jerimiah Murphy of Southwest, at work with the collards during the competition. The dish had to be something that could be offered at a casual restaurant and that could be mass-produced.

For more photos, go here.

For the complete story, check out the article by Kathleen Purvis, food editor at the Charlotte Observer.